The Sumner Police Department was awarded $32,835 from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant on July 3.

Sumner will use the money to purchase improved technology and support community-oriented policing projects.

The Byrne grant is provided by federal stimulus money.

Sumner police will purchase a live scan fingerprint machine and crime scene diagramming software. The live scan machine allows officers to obtain digital fingerprints from suspects at the time of arrest. It can also be used for collecting elimination prints from victims and to provide fingerprints to the public for job applications. The police department had unsuccessfully asked for the device in previous budget requests.

The diagramming software will be used in conjunction with the Total Station Survey Equipment that collects data to diagram crime scenes. The software can assist with traffic collision investigations.

For community-oriented policing, the grant will fund overtime to allow officers to attend teen events in the community. Another portion of the money will be used to purchase equipment for the department’s new Police Explorer program.

“Grants like this are perfect because they help us not only fund the equipment but also the time for our officers to be out interacting with our citizens,” Mayor Dave Enslow said. “It’s that hands-on approach that so many of us Sumner residents and our visitors value and appreciate.”